Wind-resistant building



y 20, 1955 A. P. DE CASTRO 3,195,694

WIND-RESISTANT BUILDING Filed Aug. 7, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. ANTONIO P 'DECASTRO ATTORNEY.

July 20, 1965 A. P. DE CASTRO 3,195,694

WIND-RES ISTANT BUILDING Filed Aug. 7. 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ANTONIO P DECASTRO July 2 1965' A. P. DE CASTRO WIND-RESISTANT BUILDING 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed- Aug. 7, 1961 INVENTOR. ANTONIO I? DECASTRO July 20, 1 65 A. P. DE CASTRO 3,195,694

WIND-RESISTANT BUILDING INVENTOR. ANTON/O I? DECASTRO United States Patent 3,195,694 WIND-RESISTANT BUHLDING Antonio P. de Qastro, Redford, Mass, assimior to lune DAugusta, Lexington, Mass.

Filed Aug. 7, 1961, Ser. No. 129,582 3 Claims. (Cl. 1891) This invention relates to a wind-resistant building. In particular, it relates to a novel foundation comprising a beam-strut assembly capable of withstanding hurricanes and tidal Waves.

The present invention provides a flexible modular type construction of V-shaped struts which enables the architect to exercise a wide choice of design. Further, the present invention provides for the use of uniform construction members which can be prefabricated, and, in addition, substantially avoids seepage and corrosion problems.

In its broad sense, the present invention comprises a plurality of sunken piers with oblique bearing and bracing struts fastened to the piers and the floor beams in a particular arrangement to be described below. The invention also comprises a novel strut of uniform construction which enables such a Wind-resistant building to be prefabricated.

In one form, this invention comprises a floor-beam, strut-framing and pier-foundation assembly for anchored building construction, comprising transverse rows of sunken piers to each of which are anchored the lower ends of a pair of obliquely positioned transverse loadbearing struts arranged in V formation, and longitudinal rows of similar piers to each of which are anchored the lower ends of a pair of obliquely positioned bracing struts arranged in V formation. The longitudinal rows are symmetrically positioned in staggered relationship to the transverse rows. With this arrangement there are no piers positioned under the outer corners of the build- The upper ends of adjacent struts, both load-bearing and bracing, are tied together with the adjacent floorbeam, the load-bearing struts being in the same vertical plane with the floor-beam, while the bracing struts obliquely disposed, are at right angles to the floor-beam.

Further aspects of the invention will hereinafter appear from the following description illustrative of the invention and shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a building constructed in accordance with this invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a beam and strut-framing plan showing piers, bracing struts, load-bearing struts and posts.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the connection of loadbearing struts to load-carrying beams.

FIG. 3a is an elevation of FIG. 3 showing, also, the position of the bracing struts and bracing beams.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the connection of two bracing struts to bracing beams.

FIG. 4a is an elevation of FIG. 4 showing, in addition, the position of the load-bearing struts and beams.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing the connection of two struts to a pier footing.

FIG. 5a is a front elevation of FIG. 5.

FIG. 5b is an end elevation of FIG. 5.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a strut beam connection at an outer edge of the structure.

FIG. 6a is a front elevation of FIG. 6 showing the attachment of the load-bearing beam.

FIG. 6b is an end View of FIG. 6 showing the attachment of a bracing strut to a bracing beam.

In the preferred embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the struts are of generally uniform size and shape,

being of rectangular cross-section, with their ends having two oblique planar cuts perpendicular to the plane of the lateral sides so as to form horizontal and vertical abutting surfaces at the strut-beam junctions and pier foundations. At each interior strut-beam junction two load struts and two bracing struts meet with one or two load-carrying beams and two bracing beams. Where there are two load-carrying beams these abut endwise and are joined by bolted flat plates on their lateral sides. The bracing beams abut the lateral sides of the load beam. The pair of angularly disposed load struts abut one another and also the bottom surface of the load beams. The bracing struts abut the lateral sides of the load struts.

Both the load struts and the bracing struts are bolted to spaced parallel plate faces formed by four right-angle plates each of which is attached by one face to a lateral side of the load beam. Two are attached on each lateral side so as to form two vertical slots extending laterally from the load beam. Each of the right angle plates is en tended downward and vertically so as to also form two slots which are longitudinally disposed with respect to the load beam. The load struts fit into the longitudinal slots below the load beam and abut one another as well as the bottom surface of the load beam. The load struts are joined to the plates of the slots by means of bolts. The bracing struts fit into the lower portion of the lateral slots and abut the bottom surface of the bracing beams and the lateral surfaces of the load struts. The bracing struts are also joined to the plates of the slots by means of bolts. The bracing beams fit into the upper portion of the lateral slots above the bracing struts and are joined to the plates by bolts.

The beam-strut junctions at the corners of the structure involve one load strut and one bracing strut, while the junctions on the edges between corners involve either one bracing and two load struts, or one load and two bracing struts, depending on the side in question.

All the junctions even at the corners preferably involve the use of four right angle plates bolted together. A preferred form of bolting arrangement is one using shear plates recessed in the wood members. The beams and struts are preferably formed of a treated wood to protect against rot-producing fungi and termites. Such treatments include forcing preservatives into the wood under high pressure.

In each pier the pair of meeting struts has oblique planar cuts perpendicular to the planes of its lateral sides so that they abut each other vertically and the top surface of the pier horizontally. A pair of right angle plates with bolts is used to hold the assembly to the concrete pier.

Referring to the drawings, the floor-beam, strut-framing and pier-foundation assembly for anchored building construction therein shown as illustrative of this invention comprises two series of piers, 11a to 20a inclusive to which load-bearing struts are attached, and 31x to 39x inclusive to which bracing struts are attached. The pair of load-bearing struts 11b and He are attached in a V- formation to and supported by pier Ila; similarly, loadbearing struts 12b and are attached to pier 12a, 13b and to 13a; 14b and to 14a; 15b and 15c to 15a; 16b and to 16a; 17b and to 17a; 18b and 18c to 13a; 19c to 19:1 and Zllc to Ztla. Members 19d and 20d are square vertical post-s connected to piers 1% and 20a.

A pair of bracing struts such as 31y and SM are attached to and supported by pier 31x; similarly, bracing struts 32y and 322 are attached to pier 32x; 33 and 33a to 33x; 34y and 342 to 34x; 35y and 35z to 35x; 36y and 3 6z to 36x; 37y and 372 to 37x; 38y and 38z to 38x; and 3932 and 3% to 39x.

eneaeoa A typical illustration of positioning and method of connection of a pair of load-bearing struts to a floor beam is shown in FIG. 1 and in FIGURES 3 and 30:. As shown in FIG. 1 the floor load beams 115 and 116 have ajunction with each other and with load bearing; struts 15c and 11b and bracing strut 34y. The detail of the junctions is best illustrated with reference to FIGURES 3 and 3a.

The load beams ltit) and N1 abut'longitudinally and are held together by flat'plates 5t) and 51 on their lateral sides in conjunction with bolts'Slb and also four right angle plates 52 which have one face on top of the flat plates and are disposed so as to form four slots, two lateral and two longitudinal. The right angle plates 52 have four downward vertical extensions beyond the bottom surface of the load beam; The beams and plates have registering holes for the bolts and the beams have recessed shear plates at the hole areas. The load struts 17c and 13b abut one another, as Well as the bottom surface of the load beams at their angular cut-ends and fit into the bottom portion of the longitudinal slots where they are bolted on with bolts 51a. The bracing struts 35z and 36y fit into the extensions of the lateral slots, beneath the bracing beams 290 and 201 which fit into the top portions of the lateral slots. The bracing struts and bracing beams are joined to the plates of the slots by bolts 52 and 52b, (FIGURES 6, 6a, 6b).

In a similar fashion, right angle plates 56 are used at the corners of the structure to hold together load beam 102, bracing beam 2&32, load strut 18b, bracing strut 391 and insert pieces with bolts 56a, 56b and 560.

A typical illustration of the positioning and method of connection of a pair of struts to a pier on one end is shown in FIGS. 5, 5a, 5b. The lower end of a strut such as 12b or 12c is connected to pier 12a by being inserted in a pair of right angle plates 55. The upper portions of the plates and the struts have registering-holes equipped with horizontal through bolts 55a. The horizontal portion of the plates 55 are connected to pier 12:; by anchor bolts 55b.

The struts and beams are shown in the illustrated embodiment as being fixedly attached to one another by bolts. However, other suitable attachment means may be used, as, for example, bolts, clips, clamps or high bonding strength adhesives. Where the struts and beams are made of wood, shear connectors or similar devices are essential if mechanical fasteners are used.

While the preferred embodiment of this invention has 7 been described in detail, it will be understood that it is not to be limited to the particular construction set forth, since various changes in the form, material, proportions and arrangements of parts and in the detail of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, or destroying any of the advantages contained in the same, heretofore described and defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A foundation floor beam assembly for a Wind-resistant building comprising floor load-beams, a plurality of transverse rows of sunken piers to each of which are anchored the lower ends of a pair of obliquely positioned load-bearing struts, and a plurality of longitudinal rows of sunken piers to each of which are anchored the lower ends of a pair of obliquely positioned bracing struts; said longitudinal rows being symmetrically positioned in staggered relationship to said transverse rows; the upper ends of said struts being attached to said floor beams; the upper ends of said load-bearing and bracing struts being contiguous to one another; said bracing struts being at right angles to the long dimension of said floor beams; said load-bearing struts being in a substantially vertical plane with their attached floor beam; said struts being otherwise exposed to the atmosphere. 7

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the lower end of each strut abuts the lower end of another strut at the pier, said ends being fastened together; the upper ends of each load strut being adjacent to the upper edge of the adjacent load strut and the adjacent bracing strut.

3. A foundation floor beam assembly for a Wind-resistant building comprising floor load-beams, bracing beams, a plurality of transverserows of sunken piers to each .of which are anchored the lower ends of a pair of obliquely positioned load-bearing struts, and a plurality of longitudinal rows of sunken piers to each of which are anchored the lower ends of a pair'of obliquely positioned bracing struts; said longitudinal rows being symmetrically positioned in staggered relationship to said transverse rows; the upper ends of said struts being attached to said floor beams by a junction comprising four right angle plates attached to the lateral sides of the load beams and arranged to form two longitudinal and two lateral slots with respect to. a load beam; said plates having downward vertical extensions so as to extend the slots below the beam; said load beams fitting into the upper portions of the longitudinal slots; the ends or said load struts fitting into thebottorn portions of the longitudinal slots; the ends of said bracing beams fitting into the top portions of the lateral slots; and the ends of the bracing struts fitting into the lower portions of the lateral slots; said struts and beams held in position in said slots by attaching means; said struts being otherwise exposed to the atmosphere.

References (fitted by the Examiner V UNITED STATES PATENTS RICHARD W. COOKE, JR., Primary Examiner.

' CORNELIUS D. ANGEL, Examiner. 

1. A FOUNDATION FLOOR BEAM ASSEMBLY FOR A WIND-RESISTANT BUILDING COMPRISING FLOOR LOAD-BEAMS, A PLURALITY OF TRANSVERSE ROWS OF SUNKEN PIERS TO EACH OF WHICH ARE ANCHORED THE LOWER ENDS OF A PAIR OF OBLIQUELY POSITIONED LOAD-BEARING STRUTS, AND A PLURALITY OF LONGITUDINAL ROWS OF SUNKEN PIERS TO EACH OF WHICH ARE ANCHORED THE LOWER ENDS OF A PAIR OF OBLIQUELY POSITIONED BRACING STRUTS; SAID LONGITUDINAL ROWS BEING SYMMETRICALLY POSITIONED IN STAGGERED RELATIONSHIP TO SAID TRANSVERSE ROWS; THE UPPER ENDS OF SAID STRUTS BEING ATTACHED TO SAID FLOOR BEAMS; THE UPPER ENDS OF SAID LOAD-BEARING AND BRACING STRUTS BEING CONTIGUOUS TO ONE ANOTHER; SAID BRACKING STRUTS BEING AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE LONG DIMENSION OF SAID FLOOR BEAMS; SAID LOAD-BEARING STRUTS BEING IN A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL PLANE WITH THEIR ATTACHED FLOOR BEAM; SAID STRUTS BEING OTHERWISE EXPOSED TO THE ATMOSPHERE. 